Early Morning in the Junkyard

Summer mornings at Disneyland Resort during Extra Magic Hour often come equipped with overcast skies and cool temperatures. Mater's Junkyard takes on a calm, relaxed atmosphere during these moments despite the swirling tractors and Mater's loud, tongue-in-cheek serenades.

The Junkyard Jukebox Stands Outside of Mater's House

It's a perfect time to check out the hundreds of details in the junkyard queue while taking multiple spins on the funniest tractor pull that ever square-danced through Radiator Springs.


Even at 7:00 A.M., these tractors have their dancin' tires on!

As we've mentioned before, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is one of the most enjoyable family thrill rides in any Disney park, and much wilder than it looks from outside the fence. Don't miss this one on your next pass through Carburetor County.

Photos by Lana Whitham

Junkyard Jamboree Spins Its Tale in Book Form

While Christmas shopping the other day, the last thing I expected to find hundreds of miles from Disneyland Resort was a souvenir of Disney California Adventure.

But there it was in the book section of the local Target store. At first glance, Mater and the Little Tractors looks like any other Cars-themed beginning reader book, but it soon becomes clear that the book tells the backstory of Mater's Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land.

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is About to Get Comfier

As further proof that Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is not a "kiddy" ride, Disney has recently added non-slip surfacing to the vehicle seats of this Cars Land attraction, while padding is to be installed in October.

Although I, personally, loved being flung across the bench seat and playing who's-scrunching-who with my co-rider as the trailers swung wildly around the course, I can see how some riders might appreciate a slightly more comfortable experience.

I'll miss this ride's original slip-slidey benches, but the thrill provided by the trailers' intense whipping motions remains intact. The amusement industry describes non-coaster thrill rides like the Jamboree and the Mad Tea Party (and Tilt-a-Whirls and Scramblers) as "flat rides." Mater's Junkyard Jamboree remains the funniest and most thrilling flat ride in the Disney park lineup.

Do Not Feed the Tractor

It's so easy to miss, but so fun to notice. This unheralded little Cars Land attraction sits quietly off to one side of Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. I hope the person who dreamed this up got a raise.

El Materdor

We've previously looked at Mater's mementos from Unidentified Flying Mater and Private Eye Mater, and now here's another gem from the queue for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree.

From El Materdor, we see Mater's got significant proof that this "Tall Tale" actually happened; he's kept the embellished hood (complete with fancy mustache) he lost in a nasty scrap with a bulldozer. Hubcabs and the event poster (set up to re-create the tombstone gag) complete the tableau.

This stroll through Mater's colorful hidden world is, of course, just a warm-up for the the surreal event ahead; you've got a date with a herd of square-dancing tractors!

Mater Private Eye at Junkyard Jamboree

Continuing yesterday's look at the Tall Tale props in the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree queue, we pass by the window from the Private Eye short film.

Below the window, notice the intentional misspelling of "Lightyear Tires." I'd originally thought it represented the way Mater would misspell it in his imagination, but mwh1980 reminded me in the comments that these are the counterfeit tires Mater was investigating.

It's a fantasy world (Mater's recollections) within a fantasy world (Radiator Springs) within a fantasy world (DCA)!

Parking Area 51

The sheltered, fan-cooled queue for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree leads you past the tow truck's collection of memorabilia from all his Tall Tale adventures.

Mater's quite a yarn-spinner, and the short Tall Tale films play with the boundaries between what "really" happened in the truck's past and what lives only in his boundless imagination. The existence of these life-sized props in Radiator Springs further blurs that line -- probably much to the exasperation of Lightning McQueen.

This collection comes from "Unidentified Flying Mater." In the foreground shadows, we see the end result of UFO Ma-Tor's request to "Take me to your liter."

Review: The Music of Cars Land

Music plays a vital role in setting the mood for Disneyland Resort's many realms. The Imagineers have created a masterful soundscape for Anaheim's latest headliner, and some of the best pieces have found a home on a terrific souvenir CD, The Music of Cars Land.

This soundtrack contains two excellent original pieces by Joe Louis Walker ("Welcome to Radiator Springs," "Radiator Rock"), and a fun sampling of classic songs heard in various parts of the land ("Route 66," "Mambo Italiano," "Stop in the Name of Love," "Low Rider" and Woody Guthrie's "Car Car Song"), but I'd wager fans will be most pleased by the final tracks.

Five of the last six pieces come from the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree ride:

"Junkyard Jamboree"
"Big Bull Dozer"
"Tow Mater (The One You Want to Call)"
"Mater's Square Dance"
"Let's Go Driving"

The final track closes out the CD in spectacular fashion;

"Radiator Springs Racers: Attraction Ride Through"